Winding mechanism



10, 1940'. .w. J. volT Erm. 2*-224416 WINDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24, 1959 Q 4 Sheets-Sheetl l fOl Till' flRM A rroR/vrs.

Dec. 1:0", 1940. w. J. volT Erm. l 2,224,416

WINDING NECHANISM Fued Jan. 24,v 19:59 4 sheets-sheet s PUR mi NIM Patented Dec. 1o, 1940 UNITED STATES WINDING ME wiuiam' J. von, Les Annie, and man a weimer,

Southgate, Calif.; said Weimar assigner to said 4 Voit Application January 24, 1939, Serial No. 252,601

17 Claims. (CL 242-3) l This invention relates to winding machines for laying elongated material,. such as threads, strings, cords, and yarn upon balls or other bodies having a spherical or other curvilinear surface, and particularly to machines for winding thread upon ball centers or cores in contiguous spiral convolutions about a common axis to produce a reinforced ball such as is described in our applications, Serial No. 178,748, filed December m 8, 1937, now Patent 2,194,132, and Serial No. 183,-

898, filed January 7, 1938, now Patent 2,157,580, in accordance with the method described in those applications. l

In following the inventions disclosed in these applications, the string, thread, cord, yarn, strips of fabric or other elongated material is wound without tension, beginning at lor near one polar point on the ball in contiguous coils or convolutions of `gradually increasing diameter to the 90 median equatorial 4great circle and then of gradually decreasing diameter until the opposite polar point is reached. This winding produces a layer of an even thickness, which is equal to the diameter of the` strand material. Other similar windings are made upon the first winding, with the axis of each winding preferably perpendicular to the axis of the next preceding winding, to any desired number to' build upa reinforcing layer on a hollow elastic or solid core, the layer being Y in turn covered with some type of wear-resisting material. i v

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a winding machine which will feed the thread perpendicularly to .the surface ofthe ball, 3;, as it lays it thereupon, at all. points of the spiral winding between the polar areas of that winding. Another object is to provide a feed head which will move in a path lying in a great circle plane of .the ball and concentric with thatgreat circle. m Another object is to provide means for moving the feed head in timed relationship with the speed of rotation of the ball, and means for varying this timed relationship to correspond to different diameters of thread, to the end -that thel convolutions of the thread upon the ball will be evenly spaced thereon, .either contiguously orat a constant interval.

Another object is to provide means for feeding the thread from a' reel orother supply dem, vice at a variable linearv speed which shall at any moment be the same, or substantially the same,

linear. speed as that at which the ball receives the thread. Thisfeature of the invention makes it possible to feed the thread to the ball without tension or at a constant tension of any ,desired amount. When winding inflated rubber bladders,

it is of advantage that the thread be applied without tension to avoid deformation of the bladder by the thread. When winding solid or thick-walled ball centers or bladders disposed on rigid or semi- 5 rigid forms, it may be of advantage to apply the thread under some degree of tension of constant magnitude.

Whether the thread be applied with our without tension, it is desirable to have the linear lo speedof the thread, as it leaves the reel or other supply device, equal to the linear speed of the thread as it is applied to the ball. When a reel is used, we accomplish this object by a time correlation of the rotational speed of the supply reel u with the angular position of the feed head with respect to the surface of the ball.'

A further object of our invention is to provide adjusting means for varying the ratio between the rotational speed of the reel and the rotational m speed of the ball existing at any given point in the winding cycle to compensate for variations in the ratio of the diameters of balls and reels of diiferent sizes.

Another object is to provide a winding machine that will, by its duplex construction. shorten the'time required for completing the winding operation.

Another object is to provide manual devices for controlling the operation of the machine and to n provide means for attaining Vother desirable results, which will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. i is a view in side elevation of one form of Y u vmachine embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine. l l

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, partly in aection, of the central portion of the winding mecha- 4 nism.

`Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken along the line l-I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlargedf vertical section taken along the line l--C of Fig. 3. a

Fig. l7 is an enlarged vertical section taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of an alternative form of feed head.

Pig. 9 showsa vertical sectional view taken 50 along the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. 1

` Fig. 10 shows a horizontal sectional view tahen along the line IO-I oflllg. 8.

We have shown and described our invention as applied to the winding of thread upon a lznollovw'V inilated rubber center to form a reinforcing layer for a'hollow athletic ball of the basket ball or soccer ball type. It can also be used wherever it is desired to apply anytype of elongated material, whether ilbrous or elastic, to any ball-like object either solid or hollow, irrespective of the material of the ball center or of the materialof the cover, when such is used, and whether the ball be `spherical or of some other shape.

It is therefore t'o be understood that when, for l instance, we use the word thread in the following description and claims, it is to be considered as exemplaryof any other form of elongated strandlike material, and when we use the Word ball, it'is to be given as broad a meaning as the context and the description of associated objects and of the functional or cooperative relationship of the ball thereto will permit. I

The main frame of the machine which We have shown and described as embodying our invention comprises a supporting structure II' and a horizontal castkbeam I2 mounted thereon at a convenient elevation above the ground. Upon this beam is mounted mechanism of the character of a lathe for supporting the ball and roa tailstock spindle I6 longitudinally slidably mounted in a tailstock body I1. The headstock body and the tailstock body are longitudinally slidably mounted upon the beam I2. 'Ihe charl acter of the headstock mounting is shown in Fig.

7. The'tailstock body is similarly mounted.

Referring to Fig. 7, a base I8 of the headstock body I4 and a .base Isa ofthe taustk .body l1 are longitudinally grooved on their under surfaces, as at I9. These grooves lit over upwardlyprojecting ways 2U, 20a formed in the upper face of the beam I2. The upper horizontal plate element 2| of the beam I2 is centrally cut away tegral part of the headstock I4.

to form apertures 22, 23 (see Figs, 2 and 3). The headstock body and tailstock body are each formed with depending' webs 24, 24a respectively,

which project downwardly from the base platev I8 through the apertures 22 and 23, respectively. At the'lower edges of each of these webs 24, 24a are formed' hollow cylindrical enlargements 25, 25a respectively, which are interiorly threaded to receive an adjusting rod 26. The threads of l the projection 25 and the cooperating end portion ofthe adjusting rod 26 are of a right-hand character, and those of the projection 25a and the cooperating end portion-o1' the adjusting rod 26 are of a left-hand character. The adjusting rod 26 is rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 21 secured to the underface of the plate 2| of the beam I2. The tailstockend of this adjusting rod 26 is provided with a manually-operated adjusting wheel 28 by the rotation of which the headstock and tailstock bodies can be cause to approach each other or recede from each other. The base plate I8 of the headstock and tailstock l bodies are held against upward displacement and in engagement with the ways 26 by means of slide plates 29 which engage the underface of the plate 2l and are secured to the underface of the base. I8. A head chuck 39 is provided with an integrally formed sleeve 3| which is rotatably mounted within a barrel 32 formed as an in- 'I'he sleeve 3| is splined upon the spindle I3 which is `mounted so as to be capable of rotation, but is longitudinally stationary. Power is transmitted to the spindle I3'from a motor 33 through a variablespeed drive in the box I5 and a flexible coupling I5a. A tail chuck 34 is rotatably mounted at one end of the spindle I6. within a barrel 35 which is an integral part of the tail stock body I1. l A helical spring 31 interposed between an annular shoulder 36 of the spindle I6 and a ring 38 threadedly secured to the end of the barrel 35 tend to retract the tail chuck 34 from a ball 39 which is positioned between the head chuck and tail chuck for the winding operation. By means of a bell crank lever 46, a detent pin 4I may be caused to engage the shoulder 36 to prevent this movement of retraction, or it may be disengaged from the shoulder 36 to permit the spring 31 to withdraw the tail chuck 34 from contact with the ball 39.

With the detent pin 4I in elevated position, av

ball can be removed from or inserted between the head chuck and. tail chuck of the machine. To secure a ball in position between the two chucks for'the winding operation, the he dstock and tailstockbodies are rst adjusted in roper position with respect to each other by the adjusting wheel 28. The spindle I 6 is then manually moved forward until the tail chuck 34 engages the ball, at which time the detent pin 4I is dropped into position to lock the shoulder 36 against longitudinal movement.

Feed heads 42 and 43 are each carried by, the

o upper end of an uprightstandard 44. The feed head 42 'comprises a. pulley 45 mounted between the forked branches of the upper end of the upright 44." One edge of the pulley 45 is provided with anange 46a to prevent a thread 46 from passing oil the end of the pulley as the head is moved bodily in a circular path in a direction of rotation away from the flanged edge of the pulley, as will be presently explained. That portion of `the ball 39 in contactwith the pulleyl 45 moves .downwardly and thethread 46, as it leaves the pulley 45, valso moves downwardly in contact with the ball. The head 43 differs from the head 42 in the provision of a second pulley 41, in addition to a pulley- 45' corresponding to the pulley 45, both pulleys being mounted between the two branches of the forked upper end of their standard44.- A thread 46 passes around the upper side of this pulley 41 and thence around the lower side of the pulley 45 from which it is fed to the ball in an upward direction.

A vertical shaft 48 is mounted in a bearing sleeve 4.9 with the axis of the shaft passing through the center of the position occupied by the ball 39. This bearing sleeve-49 is rigidly carried by a tubular portion 56 oi' a frame casting 5I bolt- `ed to the upper face of the plate 2I of the beam I2.

A turntable 52 is keyed to the shaft 48. The turn'- table 52 is supported vertically upon a worm gear wheel 53 which is rotatably mounted upon the exterior face of the cylindrical bearing sleeve 49. An annular friction plate 54 is secured to the underface of the turntable 52 and another similar annular friction plate 55 is secured to the upper face of the worm gear wheel 53. The frictional connection thus provided between the turntable 52 and the worm gear wheel 53 makes it possible to either transmit rotary-motion from the gear Awheel to the turntable or permit the turntable to be manually rotated relative to the gear wheel when the gear wheel is stationary. The gear wheel 53 is vertically supported upon the'upper end of the tubular portion 50 of th'e castingil by means of a bearing washer 56. The friction be- This spindle is splined Y 2,224,416 tween the plates 54- and 5 5 can be adjusted by varying the pressure between these two plates. To vary this pressure, a helical spring 51 is seated between the upper face of the turntable 52 and the lower face of lan inverted cup-shaped washer 58. By means of nuts 58, I,the position of the washer 58 can be regulated uponA the shaft 48. To the lower end of the shaft 48 is rigidly secured a bevel gear wheel 58. The spring 51 acts to hold this bevel gear wheel 88 vertically upward against the lower end of the bearingsleeve 48 which is, in turn, held in contact with the lower end of the tubular portion 58 of the casting 5|. The spring 51 also acts to urge the turntable 52 downward against the worm gear 58 .which is supported in fixed position vertically upon the upper end of the tubular portion 58 of the casting 5|.

The turntable 52 is formed with two diametrically opposite wings 8|. Each of these wings 5I supports a base plate 82 connected to it by a d ovetailed sliding joint which permits horizontal radial movement of the plate 52 on the wing 5I with respect to the vertical axis of the ball 38. Each of the arms 44 is hinged at its lower end to an associated one of base plates 82 in such manner that it is free to oscillate-in a vertical plane passing through the center of the ball. Av coiled spring 83 anchored at its lower end upon the base plate 82 and secured at its upper end to the arm 44 holds the feed head 42 in resilient contact with the ball. The length of the arms 44 is such that the heads 42 and 48 lie in the horizontal plane passing through the center of the ball. A rod 64 fastened at the outer end of each of the base plates 52 extends upwardly and outwardly therefrom and is provided at its outer end with a guide loop 85 through which the thread 48 or 46' passes on its way to the feed head 42 or 48, respectively.

Power transmitting devices are provided for rotating the turntable 52 at a speed-which is ad- .justably related to the speed of rotation of the ball in the lathe. following manner:

This is accomplished in the rA bracket 85, which is rigidly mounted upon the beam I2, is provided at its upper end with a horizontal shaft bearing 51 for the spindle I3 and at the outer end of an arm 86a formed upon the bracket 55, it is provided with a verticaly shaft bearing 58 in which is rotatably mounted a shaftv 1 I. Above the bearing 58, this shaft 1| carries a bevel gear wheel 18 which meshes with a bevel gear wheel 58 'keyed to the spindle I8. Rotary motion of the shaft 1| is transmitted to a horizontal shaft 14 mounted in bearings 15 by means of a worm wheel 12 on the shaft 1| and a worm gear wheel 18 of the shaft114. 'Rotary motionof the shaft 14 is in turn transmittedto a horizontal shaft 11 mounted in bearing supports 18 through a friction wheel 15, slidably splined and adapted to be adjustably secured longitudinally upon the shaft 14, and a friction disc 18 on one end of the shaft 11. -At the other end of the shaft 11 is `a worm wheel 88 which engages the teeth upon the worm gear wheel 58. By moving the friction wheel 15 to different positions upon the shaft 14, the relative speed of the feed heads. and 48, in their arcuate paths about the ball, to the speed of rotation of the ball, can be adjusted as may be desired to regulate the distances between adjacent convolutions of the thread as it is laid upon the.

it willy be laid thereon with little or no tension. To mak provision for this, we show two means for feeding the thread to the feed heads at least as rapidly as the feed heads lay it upon the ball. One of these means is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and '1, and an alternative form is shown in Figs. 8 to l0.

In the embodiment of our invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the thread is carried upon two reels bearing supports 81 secured to the underface of the beam I2. At the other end of the shaft 88 from the sprocket wheel 85 is splined a friction disc 88. By means of a bell crank lever 88 pivotally mounted on the beam I2, the friction disc 88 maybe retracted against the pressure of a spring 88 which normally holds it in contact with a friction wheel 8| .Y The friction wheel 8| is splined upon the lower portion of the shaftv 1| which is mounted in bearing supports 82 and 83 secured to the beam I2. The friction wheel 8|v is rotatably .mounted upon one end of a' sleeve 84 which is free to reciprocate upon doesV not'rotate therewith, being held angularly stationary by a pin and slot connection 85 with a lever 85. 'I'his lever is rigidly'secured to a pin 81 rotatably mounted in'a bearng`88 which is adjustably slidably mounted in a slot 88a formed in the left-hand web |2a of the beam |2-. (See Fig. 7.) The lever 85 serves to vary the longitudinal position of the sleeve 84 on the shaft 'I I and there- .by through the friction drive 8|, 88 to varythe the shaft 1| but speed of rotation of the reels 8|. The movement -central position to a minimum when the feed heads are adjacent the chucks.

The movement Vof the lever 85 is controlled in the following fashion: A second lever 88 is immovably secured to the outer end of the pin 81 in any suitable manner. As shown in the drawings, this lever 88 is formed with a square opening at its one end which fits over a squared end of the pin 81. It will be observed from Fig. 7 of the/ drawings that the means of rigidly securing the .lever 85 to -the pin81 is adjustable in character, a set screw |88 permitting the levers 88 and 88 to be rigidly related to each other in varying angular positions. The drawings show these two levers adjusted with respect to each other at an angle of but, for some conditions of operation, a different angular relationship'- is required.

Angular movement of the lever 88 about the axis of the pin 81 is imparted to it by a heartshaped cam plate |8I. A pin |82 is fastened in a slot |84 formed in the'outer end of the lever 88 by means of a nut |83. The slot |84 permits the pin |82 to Vbe immovably secured to the lever 88 at different distances from the pin 81l to ccord with the different positions of the bearingl 88;

and in that manner the range of movement of the sleeve 84 on the shaft 1| may be varied to correspond with the diameter'of the ball which is being wound. 'I'he inner end ofthe pin |02 carries a small roller |05 adapted to travel in a slot |06 formed in the lateral lface of the cam 8 platef 0|. The cam plate |0| is keyed upon a shaft |01 mounted in bearings |00 formed in the side walls |2a of the beam I2. Also, keyed upon the shaft |01 is a bevel gear wheel |09 which meshes with the bevel gear wheel 60 which has 10 already been referred to as keyed to the Shaft 48. The cam slot |06 is so shaped that the pin |02, as it moves along the arc shown in dotted lines H0, shifts the friction Wheel 9| to unwind the thread from reels 8| at a linear speed'always substantially equal to the linear speed of the thread as it is wound upon the ball.

Figs. 8, 9, and 10 illustrate another means of supplying th'e thread to the feed heads at the correct speed. In thisform of our invention,

2G the means for regulating the speed of supply of the thread to the feed heads is provided on the Afeed head itself. Referring to Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the upper end of the arm Ma is forked to provide prongs |I| and ||2. Between these prongs are 26 rotatably mounted shafts ||3 and H4 on which are keyed pulleys ||5 and H0, respectively. Also, keyed upon the shafts H3 and iM arev two4 spur gears |1 .and H8, respectively, which mesh with an intermediate gear H9 rotatably mounted upt@ on a stub shaft which is stationarily secured to the prongs lil. The pulleys H5 and H6 are provided with anges 2| and |22, respectively, to prevent the thread from lateral displacement on the pulley. A sheet metal clip i2|a secured 3@ to the prong H2 is shaped to provide a divider plate li2a which isdisposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis o f the shaft lit approximately midway between-the ilanges it@ of the pulley iid. The inner edge of this plate m2o is ad ,w jacent to, and conforms to, the cylindrical face of the pulley Hit. The diameter of the pulley il@ is slightly greater than that oi the pulley H5. Since the diameters oi the spur gears Gil and i it are equal, it follows that thread H23 is 45 drawn from a spool tia at a linearspeed which is slightly greater than the linear speed at which the thread passes around the pulley M5 and is rlaid upon the ball. This causes a loop of thread itt between the two pulleys to lengthen and 5o bow outwardly, with the result that the frictional grip of the pulley itt upon the thread is suniciently'decreased to allow this pulley to slip somewhat with respect to the thread wound upon it. In this manner, the loop itt is maintained g5, substantially constant in size and the thread` is drawn from the spool Sie at the same speed at which the thread is fed to the ball. it the same time and by the same means, there is always pro vided sunlcient slack in the loop it@ to insure the im. thread being laid upon the ball without appreciable tension.

To insure that all points on any vertical latin tudinal circle travel in the same circular path -without eccentricity, the hall must be so posi 65 tioned with respect to the chuck that its horizontal axis longitudinal of the machine and about which it rotates must be coincident with the horizontal ams. oi the two chucks. It is also necessary that the center of the ball be verti 70 cally above the center of the turntable t?. in order that the are of travel of the feed heads ft2 and fit shall he concentric with the horizontal great circle of the ball. The ball `irxust then be centered with respect to the machine in a vern 7s tical direction, in a horizontal direction trans= versely of the machine, and in a horizontal direction longitudinally of the machine. For the purpose of thus positioning the ball properly in the machine, we provide a centering ring |25 carried in vertical position by two arms |26 5 which project upwardly from the two sides of a frame member |21. This frame member comprises two sleeves |20 held in horizontal parallel relationship with each other by an integrallyformed yoke |20. -The sleeves |28 are slidably 10 mounted upon two parallel rods |30 which project horizontally from, and are stationarily mounted upon, the casting 5|. Adjustable stops |3| fix the inner limit of movement of the member |21 upon the rods |30 and the inner limit of 15 movement of the ring |25. Stops |32, xed upon the outer end oi the rods |30, prevent the member |21 from being moved so far outwardly from the machine as to become disengaged from the rods |30. Horizontal movement of the member 20 |21, and the centering ring |25 which it carries, is accomplished by means of a U-shaped rod |33, the ends of which are secured at |36, |34, to the arms |26, respectively. The cross arm of the U-shaped rod |33 is provided with a furrule 25 H36 to serve as a hand grip with which to slide the member |21 and the centering ring i 25 toward and away from vthe machine. Since the two rods 630 are equally spaced from the shaft t8, the ams of which passes through the center 30 of the ball when it is properly placed and since, further, the center of the ring |25 is in the same horizontal plane with the axis of the chuck, it is obvious that by properly positioning the adinstable stop itl for a ball of any given diam- 35 eter and then drawing the centering ring toward the machine until the inner ends of the sleeves lit contact the stops iSI, the centering .ring is in such position-that, ii the ball to be wound is held by thehand oi the operator so 40 that it is lightly in contact with the said ring and all parts of the centering ring contact some point on the ball, the ball will be centered vertically and centered horizontally, both longitudinally and transversely of the machine.

lin the operation of the machine, the stops i3! are adjusted to the position corresponding to the diameter of the ball to be wound. The hand wheel 2&3 is used to separate the chucks somewhat rnore than is necessary to receive the ball.,5 0 The centering ring E25 is pulled toward the machine until the sleeves i2@ contact the stops iti. The ball is then held lightly against the centering ring and in contact with all points thereof. The hand wheel 2d is turned until the head chuck contacts the ball lightly. The tailstock spindle i6 is pushed forward until the detent pin Si can hey dropped into position back of the shoulder St, at which juncture the tail chuck, should be lightly in contact with the surface of the ball. The centering ring insures that the horizontal anis of the ball, longitudinal of the lathe, is coincident with the axis of the chucks. Ii the headstock body and tailstock body are correctly assembled upon the threaded adjusting rod 2d, the horimntal axis of the ball, which is transverse of the lathe, should be centered with respect to the chucks, and the vertical axis of the hall should be vertically overbthe center of the turntable 52; 70

The friction wheel 16 is then set in position on the shaft M to move the turntable at the speed which will give the desired distance between the axes of adjacent strands of the winding. 1f the y strands are to he in contact with each other, the

andthepin lllzisatthe same alignment of levers 96 AIf.the embodiment of our invention shown in `Figs. 8 to 10 is used, there is no adjustment oper-l ation required to provide the requisite slack iny mentshown in Figs. 1 to 7 is used, the position of the pin bearing Il in the slot 98a is fixed to accord'with the diameter of the ball to be wound. time secured in the corresponding position in the slot |86 in the cam plate Illi. As the bearing 98 is moved to the left, the throw of the lever 96 is decreased with a corresponding narrowing of the range of rotational speed of the reels 8l, as is suitable for relatively small balls. Right-hand movement of the bearing Il adjusts the reel drive for relatively large balls. By means of the set screw |00, the angular and 99 may be adjusted to fix the initial speed of the reel drive.

' The feed heads are adjusted to their initial positions adjacent the respective chucks by manually rotating the turntable upon the gear wheel 53 against the frictional resistance between the plates 5l, 55. The motor 33 is energized, which turns the balland synchronously moves the feed headsin a horizontal circular path concentric with the ball, and unwinds the thread from the reels Il at a linear speed substantially the same as the linear speed at which the feed heads lay Y the thread upon the ball. At the same time, the

` feed heads are in their initial positions, the camVV bell crank lever is operated to release the friction drive Il, Il to permit the friction wheel I to move along the shaft 1I as the turntable is rotated. Rotation of the turntable causes longitudinal movement 'of the friction wheel 9| by means of the shaft 4l, bevel gears 60 and IBB, cam plate lll, and levers 99 and. When the plate points downward. When the double layer of thread has been applied to theball and the feed heads have traveled across the face of the ball from one chuck to the other, the cut a short distance from therollers 4i, 45 on the ball side of the feed heads, the ball :is turned to a new position'in the lathe, 'the turntable is manually reversed to its initial' position and the winding operation is repeated.

In order to disclose our invention, we have de- Y scribed in detail a machine which embodies sev- Q in this path. the correlated speed at which the thread eral of its features. We dov to be limited to the details of construction shown in the drawings and described in connection therewith. The several features of our invention; such as the path of each feed head about the ball, the means for moving the feed head driving connection and turntable and the for varying the linear between the feed head chucks, and the means correlatively with the speed. of application are capable of embodiment in many detailed structural combinations other than that disclosed herein. Our invention is not limited to the embodiments herein 'shown and defined in the following claims.

We claim as our invention:

i. Inawinding machine, the combination of: means for mounting a ball on'a first axis thereof and rotating said ball about said axis while so mounted; a feed head for laying elongated material on the ball as it is being rotated; and means threads are not wish, however,

is supplied to the ball described, but is arcuate path centered about a second axis of said ball perpendicular to saidv nrst axis, said path lying in a plane 'of said first axis.

3. In a winding machine, the combination of: means for mounting a ball on a'. first axis thereof and rotating said ball about said axis while so mounted; a feed head adapted to supply clongated materialy to the ball in a direction perpen- 1 dicular to the surface of said ball; and means for bodily moving said feed head in an arcuate path centered about a second axis of said ball perpendicular to said first axis, with said feed head in nxed angular relationship to its radius of rotation. Y

4. In a winding machine, the combination of: means for mounting a ball on a first axis thereof and rotating said ball about said axis while so mounted; a feed head for laying elongated material on said ball as it is being rotated; a roller mounted onsaid feed head with its axis perpendicular to a second axis of said ball perpendicular to said first axis; and means for bodily moving said feed head in an arcuate path concentric with said ball and lying in a plane of said first axis with the axis of said roller in fixed perpendicular relationship to the radius of rotation of said feed head.

5. 1n` a. winding machine, the combination of: means for mounting a ball on a first axis thereof and rotating said ball about said axis while so mounted; a feed headfor laying elongated material on said ball as it is beingv rotated; a roller mounted on said feed head with its axis perpendicular to a second axis of said bail perpen-l dicular to said nrst axis; a support mounted to rotate about said second axis and upon' which said feed head is pivotally mounted to swing` angular-ly about an axis parallel to' the axis of said roller; and resilient means between said support and said feed head for holding said roller in rolling contact with said ball.V

l 6. In a winding machine. the combination of:

' means for mounting a ball on a first axis thereof perpendicular to said second axis; a roller pivv said second axis; and resilient means for urging `said arm toward said ball and holding said roller in contact with said ball.

` '1. In a ball winding machine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a feed oted to said arm'on an axis perpendicular to head forlaying elongated material on a ball 6I mounted in said chucks; means for bodily moving said feed head in an arcuate path centered about an axis of the ball perpendicular to the axis of said lathevchucks; a motor; power transchucks and to said feed head moving means adapted to drive said chuck and feed head moving means at rates of speed bearing a definite speed ratio to each other; and means for adjustably varying said speed ratio.l

mitting means from said motor to one of said 7 s motor and feed head 8. In a ball winding machine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; la

feed head for laying material in strand form on a ball mounted in and rotated by said chucks; means for bodily moving said feed head in timed relationship to said chucks and in an arcuate path centeredabout an axis of the ball perpendicular to the axis of said chucks; a holder for said material in strand form; and means for linearly moving said material from said holder at a variable speed which is, atY any point in the path of said feed head, at least asgreat as the speed at which said material is drawn by said ball from said feed head at said point.

9. In a ball winding machine, the combination of a lathev having ball gripping chucks; a feed head for laying material in strand form on a ball mounted in and rotated by said chucks; means for bodily moving said feed head in timed relationship to said chucks and in an arcuate path centered about an axis of the ball perpendicular to the axis of said lathe chucks; a reel for said material in strand form; a motor; branched power transmitting means from said motor to one o f said chucks and to said reel adapted to rotate said chuck and reel at related speeds; means in the branch of said power transmitting means to said reel for varying the ratio of said related speeds; and a control means for said ratio varying means operated by the branch of said power transmitting means leading to said chuck adapted to regulate saidY ratio varying means, for each given point in the path of said feed head, to rotate the reel at a speed to unwind the material at a linear speed at least as great as the linear speed at which saidmaterlal is drawn by said ball from said feed head at said 130111 10. In a ball winding machine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a feed head for laying elongated material on a ball mounted in said chucks; means for bodily moving said feed head in an arcuate path centered about an axis of the ball perpendicular to theaxis of said lathe chucks; a reel for said material; a motor; a power transmitting train from said motor having a iirst branch for driving one of said chucks, a second branch for driving said feed head moving means, and a third branch for driving said reel at three different speeds of rotation respectively, each of said speeds bearing a definite ratio to each of thel other two speeds; means in said second branch for adjustably varying the speed ratio between said moving means; means in said third branch for varying the speed ratio A between said motor and reel; and a control means for said last-mentioned ratio varying means operated by said feed head moving means and adapted to regulate said last-mentioned ratio varying means, for each given point in the path of said feed head, to rotate the reel at a speed to unwind the material at a linear speed at least as great as the linear speed at which said material is drawn by said ball from said feed head at said point.

l1. In a bali winding machine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a feed head for iaying elongated material on a ball mounted insaid chucks; means for bodily Inoving said feed head in an arcuate path centered about anainis of the ball'perpendicular to the axis oi said lathe chucks; a reel for said material; a motor; a power transmitting train from said motor having drst branch for driving one feed head moving meansand a third branch forv driving said reel at three diierent speeds of rotation respectively, each of said speeds bearing a. definite ratio to each of the other two speeds; means in said second branch for adjustably varying the speed ratio between said motor and feed head moving means; means in said third branch for varying the speed ratio between said motor and reel; a control means for said last-mentioned ratio va ying means operated by said feed head moving means and adapted to regulate said lastmentioned ratio varying means for each given point in the path of said feed head to rotate the reel at a speed to unwind the material at a linear speed at least as great as the linear speed at which said material is drawn by said ball from said feed head at said point; and means for adjusting said control means to increase or decrease the range of speed ratios between said motor and said reel.

12. In a bail winding machine, the combination of a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a feed head for laying elongated material on a ball mounted in said chucks; means for bodily'moving said feed head in an arcuate path centered about an axis of the ball perpendicular to the axis of said lathe chucks; a reel for said material; a motor; a power transmitting train from said motor having a first branch for driving one of said chucks, a second branch for driving said feed head moving means, and a third branch for driving said reel at three different speeds of rotation respectively` each of said speeds bearing a definite ratio to each of the other two speeds; means in said second branch for adjustably varying the speed ratio between said motor and feed head moving means; means in said third branch for varying the speed ratio between said motor and reel; and a control means for said lastmentioned ratio varying means operated by said feed head moving means and adapted to regulate said last-mentioned ratio varying means foreach given point in the path of said feed head to rotate the reel at a speed to unwind the material at a linear speed at least as great as the linear speed at which said material is drawn by said ball from said feed head at said point, said control means being adjustable to vary both the range of speed ratios between said motor and said reel and to vary the maximumspeed ratio and the minimum speed ratio between said motor and said reel.

13. In a ball winding machine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; anvarm adapted to be resiliently urged toward s, ball mounted between and rotating with said chucks; a first thread-guiding pulley mounted on said arm and adapted to have rolling Contact with said ball and to deliver a strand of thread to said rotating ball; and a second thread-guiding pulley mounted on said arm and arranged to be driven by said ball at a peripheral speed slightly greater than that of said rst pulley, said second pulley being so positioned with respect to the direction uib of approach thereto of said strand of thread, and

with respect to said first pulley that said strand of thread may have at least one complete wrap about said second` pulley and thereafter be de livered to said i'lrst pulley so that said thread has at least one complete wrap about said second pulley.

1e. rn a bau'wineing machine, the combination of: Aa lathe having ball gripping chucks; an arm adapted to ,be resiliently urged toward a ball mounted between and rotating lwith said chucks; a rst thread-guiding pulley mounted on said arm and adapted to have rolling contact with said ball and to deliver a strand of thread to said rotating ball; a second thread-guiding pulley mounted on said arm and arranged to be driven by said ball at a peripheral speed slightly greater I,

than that of said first pulley, said second pulley being so positioned with respect to the direction of approach thereto of said strand of thread, and with respect to said iirst pulley that said strand of thread may have' at least one complete Wrap about said second pulley and thereafter be delivered to said first pulley; and guide means for laterally separating the incoming and outgoing lines of said strand of thread to and from said second pulley.

l5. In a ball winding machine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a centering ring; a member for mounting said centering ring in a vertical plane parallel to the lathe axis with its center in the horizontal plane of said axis; a support on which said member is mounted to slide horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the lathe axis; and an adjustable stop to limit the inward movement of said member on said support.

16. In a ball windlngmachine, the combination of: a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a thread storage means; and a thread feeder arranged to be shlftable across the face of the ball and comprising a. rst pulley adapted to have rolling contact with the ball of a character adapted to rotatively drive the pulley, said pulley having associated therewith guiding means for applying the thread to the ball in a winding plane substantially embracing the point oi said rolling contact, and a thread engaging second pulley adapted by frictional wrap of the threads thereon to draw the thread from said thread storing means and discharge it in position to pass through said guiding means and be wound upon said ball, said second pulley being operatively connected to said iirst pulley for being driven thereby at a gear ratio which gives a peripheral speed to the thread engaging surface of said second pulley greater than the peripheral speed of the ball in the winding plane.

17. In a ball winding machine, the combination of a lathe having ball gripping chucks; a storage means for material ln strand form; and a feed assembly bodily traversable across the face of the ball and adapted to deliver said material to said ball for winding thereon at a point traversably movable with said assembly, said assembly having a reolvable member having rolling frictional contact with the ball and adapted to be rotated thereby and said assembly having means operated by said revolvable member for pulling said material from said storage means in readiness for said winding delivery.

WILLIAM J. VOIT. LEITH C. WEDER.

CERIHFICA'ITE` OF CORRECTION Y Patent No. 2,22Lolh6. December 1o, 191m.

WILLIAM J. vom, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears` in the printed specification ofthe above numbered patent requiring correctionas follows: Page 2, first column, line 65, for the word "cause" read ceused; page 6, second co1- umn, lines TO, 7l and '72, claim l5, strike out so .that said thread. has at least one complete wrap about said second pu11ey; and that thv said Letters IPatent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and Sealed this' 21st day of January, A. D. 19in.

Henry van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

